No, a default is not a CCJ. A default is added to your credit report by a lender when you miss payments on an account. A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order telling you to repay a debt. They are different — but a default can sometimes lead to a CCJ if the debt isn't resolved. Lenders treat CCJs as more serious, but both can be accepted by specialist mortgage lenders, especially if they're settled or older than 12–24 months.

How long do defaults and CCJs stay on your credit file in the UK?

Defaults and CCJs both stay on your UK credit file for six years from the date they were registered, and then drop off automatically — even if the debt hasn't been paid. A default stays for six years whether it's settled or not, though settled defaults are marked 'satisfied' and viewed more favourably by lenders. A CCJ also stays for six years, but if you pay it in full within one month of the judgment, it can be removed from your credit file completely. After six years, lenders can no longer see them. You don't always need to wait that long to get a mortgage though — many specialist lenders accept CCJs and defaults that are only 12–24 months old, particularly when settled.

Can you get a mortgage with a CCJ or default in the UK?

Yes, you can get a mortgage with a CCJ or default in the UK. High-street lenders usually prefer the CCJ or default to be at least three years old and settled, but specialist bad credit mortgage lenders will often accept ones registered in the last 12 months — sometimes even unsatisfied ones if the amount is small. The key factors lenders look at are how long ago the issue happened, whether it's satisfied, how many you have, the amount owed, and your deposit size. A specialist mortgage broker can match you to the lenders most likely to approve your situation. Call Chris on 07359911696 for a quick, no-pressure chat to find out what's possible.

Where can I get a mortgage with bad credit?

14 Jun

Written By Christopher Smith

You can get a mortgage with bad credit through specialist (adverse credit) lenders, and the most reliable way to reach them is through a mortgage broker. Many of these lenders don't deal with the public directly, so a broker is often the only route to them.

High-street banks tend to decline adverse credit automatically, but they're not the whole market. A separate tier of specialist lenders exists specifically for people with CCJs, defaults, missed payments and other credit issues.

What is the easiest mortgage to get with bad credit?

The easiest cases to place are usually those where the credit issue is older, satisfied, and backed by a decent deposit. The cleaner the rest of your file and the more deposit you have, the more lenders will say yes.

There's no single "easy" product — it's about matching your specific situation to the lender most comfortable with it. That matching is exactly what a specialist broker does.

Can you get a mortgage with really poor credit?

Often, yes — even with serious or recent adverse credit. Specialist lenders consider CCJs, defaults, IVAs, missed payments and discharged bankruptcy, though the more serious the history, the larger the deposit you'll usually need and the higher the rate.

Really poor credit narrows your choices rather than removing them. It also makes good advice more valuable, because the margin for applying to the wrong lender is smaller.

What is the lowest credit score to get a mortgage?

There's no fixed minimum score, because lenders don't all use the same scoring and specialist lenders look beyond the score anyway. Two people with the same number can get different answers depending on what's actually behind it.

Specialist lenders care more about the detail — what the adverse credit is, when it happened, whether it's satisfied — than a single three-digit number. A low score from a thin file is viewed very differently from a low score driven by recent defaults.

Can I get a mortgage with bad credit and no deposit?

This is the hardest combination, and realistically you'll usually need some deposit with adverse credit. The weaker your credit, the more deposit lenders want to offset their risk, so no-deposit lending with bad credit is rare.

There are sometimes routes using a family gift or a guarantor, but these depend on your wider circumstances. If deposit is the barrier, it's worth a conversation about what might be possible for you specifically.

Can I get a mortgage with bad credit but good income?

Yes — and a strong, stable income genuinely helps. Affordability is a major part of any lender's decision, so good income can offset some of the caution that adverse credit creates.

Income type matters too. Employed, self-employed, contractor or multiple income streams are all workable, but they're assessed differently, which again is where matching you to the right lender pays off. You can read more on our <a href="/bad-credit-mortgages">bad credit mortgages</a> page.

Where to start

The short version: specialist lenders are where bad credit mortgages live, and a broker is how you reach them without wasting applications on lenders who'll only decline you. Recency, whether issues are satisfied, your deposit and your income all shape the outcome — and with the right lender, it's often possible even when the high street has said no.

Have a free, no-obligation chat with Chris Smith Mortgages on 07359 911696. We'll give you an honest answer about where you can actually get a mortgage — no judgement, no pressure.

Christopher Smith